Frequent flyers pressure United Airlines to stop opposing climate action, such as the EU ETS

Thousands of United Airline’s frequent flyers and tens of thousands of its customers have urged them to stop opposing climate action and work with US and European agencies to reduce the aviation industry’s impact. Signatories of an open letter to chief executive Jeff Smisek include more than 500 United Airlines premier status frequent flyers, of which 20 are members of the exclusive invitation-only Global Services programme. They are joined by around 85,000 other passengers, who have signed a petition demanding bolder climate action. This comes 2 days before United’s annual shareholder meeting. They want United to stop blocking “common sense, low cost policies that would reduce airplane pollution”, such as the EU’s ETS.  United has consistently spoken out against the EU ETS after it lost a 2011 lawsuit alongside American Airlines that challenged the legality of the ETS. United has also been accused of lobbying against US domestic action to combat airline pollution under the Clean Air Act.  The open letter calls on United to work with the EPA to develop regulations that reduce greenhouse gas emissions from flights in and out of the US.

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Frequent flyers pressure United Airlines to tackle climate change

Over 500 members of United’s elite membership programme tell carrier to stop opposing climate action and work towards reducing industry’s impact

By Will Nichols (Business Green)

11 Jun 2013

An aeroplane from United Airlines

Thousands of United Airline’s frequent flyers and tens of thousands of its customers have urged the carrier to stop opposing climate action and work with US and European agencies to reduce the industry’s impact.

Signatories of an open letter [organised by Flying Clean] to chief executive Jeff Smisek include more than 500 United Airlines premier status frequent flyers, of which 20 are members of the exclusive invitation-only Global Services programme. They are joined by around 85,000 other passengers, including 2,700 elite frequent flyers, who have signed a petition demanding bolder climate action that was yesterday delivered to the company along with the letter, two days ahead of United’s annual shareholder meeting.

Petition to United:  “CEO Smisek, in order to avoid the catastrophic impacts of climate change and clean up the skies, we are calling on you to embrace, not impede, meaningful policy solutions that cut airplane pollution.”

The letter’s signatories, including billionaire investor Tom Steyer, criticise United’s combative stance to “common sense, low cost policies that would reduce airplane pollution”, such as the EU’s efforts to charge carriers for emissions during flights in and out of its airports – a regulationtemporarily suspended in the hope a global agreement will be achieved later this year at the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) congress.

United has consistently spoken out against the EU regulation after it lost a 2011 lawsuit alongside American Airlines that challenged the legality of the EU’s rules.

Yet green groups allege that when the law was lifted, United continued to charge passengers a $3 fee for compliance and kept around $40m in windfall profits. The company has also been accused of lobbying against US domestic action to combat airline pollution under the Clean Air Act.

The letter argues this action is short-sighted and the cost to United of complying with the EU directive is “minimal compared to the long-term costs United will incur if climate change pollution continues to rise”.

Without action, it says pollution from aircraft will double by 2020 and quadruple by 2050, growing by three to four per cent per year, while extreme weather events linked to climate change are likely to become more frequent. It notes that Hurricane Sandy last year resulted in 5,300 cancelled United flights, costing the company $35m in profits.

The letter urges United to “stop interfering” with policy-making efforts to reduce aviation pollution, support a global market-based mechanism for curbing emissions that could be delivered through ICAO, and endorse the EU directive on aircraft emissions. Domestically, it calls on United to work with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to develop regulations that reduce greenhouse gas emissions from flights in and out of the US.

“We are your best customers. We have invested in our relationship with United. We consider ourselves to be part of the United family,” the letter states. “We know United has also taken important steps to increase the fuel efficiency of its fleet and to make investments in research for cleaner fuels. However, due to a surge in global air travel, the voluntary actions United has taken are not keeping up with the soaring levels of airplane pollution.

“United has always championed innovation, progress, and speed. That is part of the reason we became United frequent fliers. But when it comes to addressing climate change, your company in particular has been an unyielding roadblock.

“Such behaviour weakens the US economy and leaves United, its fellow US air carriers, and the United States behind, as a growing number of countries seek solutions to the mounting pressures of climate change.”

Organised by the NGO-backed Flying Clean campaign, the letter is timed to coincide with the start of meeting of ICAO’s international group working to set a standard for aviation pollution.

Last week, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) passed a resolution calling for a single market-based mechanism to address the aviation industry’s emissions, raising hopes of a deal at ICAO later this year. However, the statement was criticised by green groups who said it did not go far enough and would delay action until 2020.

 

http://www.businessgreen.com/bg/news/2274033/frequent-flyers-pressure-united-airlines-to-tackle-climate-change

 

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Take Action: Tell United Airlines to Get on Board with Climate Action

UPDATE #2: Thanks to our partners we have now exceeded 80,000 signatures and getting close to our final goal of 100,000!

In only a few short weeks, the Obama administration and other governments will make a major decision that has the potential to greatly reduce climate pollution from airplanes. United Airlines is trying to stop it from happening. United needs to hear from its customers that it should get out of the way.

TAKE ACTION RIGHT NOW AND TELL UNITED AIRLINES CEO, JEFF SMISEK, TO STOP BLOCKING SOLUTIONS TO CLIMATE CHANGE AND START LEADING.

Petition to United:  “CEO Smisek, in order to avoid the catastrophic impacts of climate change and clean up the skies, we are calling on you to embrace, not impede, meaningful policy solutions that cut airplane pollution.”

http://www.flyingclean.com/take_action

 


 

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Frequent Flyer Sean Meehan on why he signed the letter to United

June 10, 2013

premier-platinum-blog.jpg

My name is Sean Meehan and I live in San Diego, California and Stockholm, Sweden.  I am a Premier Platinum flyer in the United Mileage Plus program.

I signed this letter to United because I care about the effects that climate change is having on the world around me.  I signed the letter because I care about United Airlines and I want the airline to be successful and profitable.  I do not agree with United Airlines lobbying against climate change regulations.

I understand that companies are reluctant to go it alone in addressing climate change and risk being uncompetitive.  That’s why it is exactly the wrong approach for United to oppose national and international industry-wide standards that can get the job done on a level playing field. Additionally, I believe the progress made with the Eco-Skies program could give United Airlines an early advantage over airlines that have thus far taken no action.

I don’t get to vote about United’s political positions, but I do vote for which airline I choose to support, and that vote is in my wallet.  All things being equal I would choose an airline that supports climate change action over one that does not.  Frankly, I was disappointed to hear that United Airlines is spending money to lobby against climate change policies. Disappointed and sad.  Especially when that money could be used to finally upgrade the entertainment systems on the 747.

I hope the letter will compel United to reconsider its actions against climate policies.  Getting out ahead of climate change, with programs like Eco-Skies, is a great use of resources and encourages all fliers.  But lobbying against climate change regulations discourages many fliers, especially me.

http://www.flyingclean.com/frequent_flyer_sean_meehan_on_why_he_signed_the_letter_to_united

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